


Let's hope it's a good one (without any fear)

by bluebells



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, Vessel Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-11
Updated: 2011-12-11
Packaged: 2017-10-27 05:06:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/291892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluebells/pseuds/bluebells
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabriel is resurrected to take the former vessels caroling for the holidays and Claire Novak is his accomplice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let's hope it's a good one (without any fear)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zekkass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zekkass/gifts).



> Written for zekkass for the holidays, who asked for vessel fic and whose fantastic vessels_anon 'verse was the key inspiration for this. The title is taken from John Lennon's 'Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)'.

It’s said that we see truth through the eyes of children and Jimmy sinks to his knees when he sees that it’s Claire on his doorstep – Claire with her faded blue jeans, thick parka and forgiveness in her eyes.

How did she grow up so fast? She wasn’t this tall the last time he visited… was she?

Claire gives him a small smile and holds his hands before he realises he’s reaching for her.

“Claire—“

It’s Christmas Eve. The night is dark and below freezing, it doesn’t deserve to hold his daughter on the wet, broken porch of this place. It isn’t a home. It’s barely liveable and he’s ashamed for her to see it.

“Mom said it was all right. I want you to come with me.”

“To your mother’s?”

She shakes her head, hands squeezing his, and he doesn’t understand why she laughs (but, oh, he’s _missed_ the sound).

But then she sings to him. It feels like hope, like warmth, light and the deep, forgotten spring of relief; like the first time Castiel spoke to him and he realised he was meant for something greater than pushing paper in sales. Before he attached his star to that angel and was raked through the Heavens.

Claire sings and it’s the balm to a broken promise. There is still life worth living after this.

She wipes the tears from his face with her gloves and lets him kiss her cheeks, her hands.

 _I love you, my beautiful, beautiful girl._

Claire ruffles his hair with an impish smile and takes his hand.

“C’mon, Dad.”

-*-

Jimmy baulks when he realises who’s waiting for his daughter by the fence.

It isn’t the face he expects, but he would recognise that amused smirk and the slouch with hands in a too-thin jacket anywhere.

Gabriel tilts his head at Jimmy in greeting, and that dark hair, that body, are all wrong, but the sharp glimmer in his eyes is just the same.

“Jimmy,” the angel greets.

“You’re dead.” Jimmy ignores Claire’s protests when he pushes her behind him.

“I’m on a mission: to bring cheer to those who need it.” He motions to the vessel Jimmy can’t stop studying, as though he knows Jimmy is wondering who he’s conned this time. “Just for tonight.”

“Daddy, stop it.” Claire pushes at Jimmy’s arm, frowning up into his face. “Your friends need us. Gabriel is the Voice. Let him help us.”

-*-

It’s with a fond sense of bemusement that Jimmy watches Claire and Gabriel stamp and sing in the snow until Donnie peeks out through his window blinds.

The front door flies open a moment later.

“What the hell, Jimmy, it’s freezing outside!”

Jimmy shakes his head and motions at his company as Donnie storms down the front path, face torn between concern and consternation. They did not just show up at each other’s homes.

“I didn’t, I just – I’m only here because –“

 _“A very merry Christmas! And a happy new year!”_ Claire and Gabriel sing and Donnie stiffens in shock when Claire throws her arms around his waist with a laugh of pure joy.

Jimmy and his daughter would need to have some words about personal space.

Robin’s silhouette fills the front door, careful and curious, her short bob of hair spilling over her shoulder. Claire and Gabriel have already spotted her, and motion to her with open arms as they reach the carol’s chorus for a second time.

It’s with a floating sense of surrealism that Jimmy watches Donnie accept the coat his sister offers him as she joins them on the white lawn, boots crunching in the snow.

“Your pitch is terrible,” Robin tells them. Jimmy isn’t sure, but he’s afraid to wonder if that’s a smile at the corner of her mouth.

Gabriel and Claire grin at each other, then at Jimmy.

Jimmy takes a deep breath. They start the song again, and, with him, their pitch is perfect.


End file.
